CH 5

He said that he’ll prepare, but in actuality, Mu Xiyun had nothing much to prepare. Returning to this world all by himself, what he had with him now was only a few sets of Moyun Mountain disciple uniforms and a few medical books. After putting them in a small bag, he’s all finished. 

The night before he left, Mo Zhiqi came to his room. Looking  at Xiyun’s small package, he couldn’t help but laugh. If you find someone at random and give him a chance to live again, in all likelihood, that person will be cautious and be well prepared, lest this second chance will be in vain. But only a few people will live carelessly, like this person. 

Mo Zhiqi took off the sword he was carrying and handed it to Mu Xiyun.

“This sword is named Chixia, and it was obtained by chance when the master was traveling. Although it is not comparable to spiritual mountain treasures, it was also from a famous master.” 

Mu Xiyun drew out the sword. The sword glare was sharp and piercing. When the light hit the thin blade, it radiated a sense of coldness. “Good sword!” Xiyun returned the sword on its scabbard, “Elder Mo is too polite. Mu Xiyun is ashamed to receive such a gift.”

“It’s nothing, nothing,” Mo Zhiqi said with a smile, “I’m a medical practitioner, and practicing swordsmanship is just to strengthen the body. I can’t compare to you slaying demons outside.” After speaking, he took out some silver taels, dry food, and some personal items. He handed them all to Xiyun while exhorting. “Be careful when you go out, your body is different from before, and the integration of soul and body is not so easy. I have never experienced this kind of thing, so I can’t give you much advice. ” He said, then he took out another bottle of medicinal pills, “This bottle of Guling pills. These can help you stabilize your spiritual energy and soothe your meridians. If you really feel uncomfortable, take one or two pills.”

“Actually….” Xiyun pondered. “It’s okay.” Pain makes people know that they are still alive.

Mo Zhiqi raised his head and said sternly. “Brother Mu, although I don’t know how you feel about being reborn, I can tell that this time you actually have some resistance in your heart…”

Mu Xiyun suddenly drooped his head and under the dim light, his eyelashes cast long shadows, making it difficult to see his expression.

Mo Zhiqi continued. “This brother is not talented, but he also knows that life is precious. Those who cultivate Taoism are nothing but destiny and chance encounters. Brother Mu has been in a deep sleep for the past fifty years, however, because it was your destiny, you finally woke up. So why not just follow along this path and seek that opportunity?”

“Opportunity….”  Xiyun finally raised his head, “The words of the elder are very meaningful, and Mu Xiyun is taught!”

“I am not worthy of such compliments,” Mo Zhiqi’s chubby face showed the usual smile again, “Master travels around the world, and from time to time will contact the disciples of the various sects. This time down the mountain, you also pay attention to it. If you can find the master, all your doubts can be easily solved. “

Early the next morning, Gu Weijie took Ge Liang to say goodbye to Mu Xiyun. Weijie said something like taking care of himself as someone normally would. However Ge Liang blinked his big eyes and said mysteriously. “Senior Brother Mu, I heard that the Tiankui Peak disciple dispatched this time was Senior Brother Su, Su Yanjun!” 

“Gentleman’s Sword Su Yanjun?” Gu Weijie asked, “How do you know?”

“Yeah, it’s him! When I went to eat wontons yesterday, I heard that from a senior brother of Tianxiang Peak.” 

“Su Yanjun is the direct disciple of Master Zheng. I also heard that his sword already developed a sword intent. He had been roaming among the mortals for many years, eliminating evil and supporting the weak. In Tiankui Peak, apart from the senior brother Zheng Yude, he is the second most favored by the sect..” Gu Weijie patted Mu Xiyun on the shoulder, “Junior brother is lucky, this inspection will definitely yield something.“

Mu Xiyun thanked the two fellow disciples and carried his baggage to the front hall. 

In the front hall, Su Yanjun, dressed in white, was drinking tea at the table, and he was indeed a well-mannered talent. “Junior Brother Mu is here!” When he saw Xiyun come in and give a salute, he quickly stood up as well. “I heard that Junior Brother Mu fromTianji Peak was very successful in his studies and was gentle and easy to get along with. It’s really good to see him in person today.” Then he shook Xiyun’s hand but frowned, “Junior martial brother, your hands are so cold, you need to wear more. Although spring is warm now, it will be cold sooner or later. Don’t get sick.”

Xiyun smiled in return and replied, “Thank you for your concern, Senior Brother.” Without delay, the two went to the elder’s room and bid farewell to Mo Zhiqi, and then walked down the mountain together. 

Walking to the mountain gate, two carts filled with herbs and common spiritual tools were parked outside. The two went down alongside two other Tianxiang Peak disciples.

Su Yanjun spoke as they walked, “This year’s inspection, just like the previous years, we will go to Shanhai City first, then Baihua Valley, Crescent City, Xuanbing Ridge and Wujin Grassland, and return from there. It just so happens that today is also the time to deliver medicinal materials and magic tools to Yiyun town. Let’s drop to Moyun Medicine Hall first to help arrange it, and we will start tomorrow morning.”

Xiyun smiled and said, “It’s up to senior brother to decide.”

Yiyun Town, Moyun Medicine Hall

Liang Zheng handed a prescription to Young Master Zhang Jinjin.

He advised the gentleman earnestly. “Your cousin’s illness originates from a lung fire. It should be due to some great tragedy he encountered earlier. His meridian was injured and he was susceptible to wind chills under yin deficiency and the lung fire. The key to cultivating one’s health is to regulate one’s mind. I’m afraid that with such injury, simple acupuncture and medicine will not be enough.”

Zhang Jinjin nodded, took the prescription, and went to the front hall to get the medicine when he saw two Moyun Mountain disciples step into the medicine hall.

Moyun Medicine Hall was originally under Moyun Mountain’s name and it was not surprising to see disciples come in and out every day. He noticed that one of them was as fresh and straight as a pine and cypress, and the other was as slim and elegant as a plum branch, which makes people feel good at first sight.

Zhang Jinjin couldn’t help but take a second glance before walking out with the medicine. From a distance, he heard the medicine hall disciple say. “Two brothers, please come in. I received a message from the mountain this morning, and your room is ready. Brother Liang is in the back.”

“Thank you Junior Brother, you have worked hard.” Su Yanjun nodded slightly. He smiled at Xiyun and explained, “This Senior Brother Liang is a strange man. He is highly skilled in medicine, and as his name suggests, he is very obsessed with medicine. If he encounters any intractable disease, he must definitely find a solution even if he doesn’t sleep for days.”

The two stepped into the room and were about to greet Liang Zheng when they saw a Moyun Mountain disciple rushing in from the outside.

“Senior Brother Liang, please come to the front hall!” “The disciple’s voice trembled like a leaf in autumn frost, and the corners of his eyes were red. Moyun Mountain Sect had always been very strict on its disciples mannerism. Yet this brother was trembling all over. What made him show such a state of panic? What happened? 

Liang Zheng was only stunned for a moment, and then quickly hurried to the front hall.

There was no abnormality in the front hall, but there was a strong man of about thirty years old, wearing a government’s uniform. He should be a local constable. The disciples of Moyun Mountain were born to cultivate into immortals. Immortal cultivators and ordinary residents of Yiyun Town were undeniably two worlds apart. Except for some new disciples who sometimes go home, others do not have close contact with mortal people. But when Moyun Mountain decided to station a medicine hall  in Yiyun Town, it had to also take on the responsibility of keeping the mortals safe. Zheng Genran’s generation even set up the Moyun Medicine Hall to share the medical skills of Moyun Mountain with the townspeople. Therefore, if the local government had some difficult and miscellaneous cases, they would occasionally come and ask for help. If it involves a case of a cultivation family, Moyun Medicine Hall will be notified immediately and will report the case to Moyun Mountain. 

The man saluted Liang earnestly and said, “Immortal Master Liang, some villagers found some……..bad signs this morning. I’m afraid it can’t be solved by ordinary means. I ask the Immortal Master to go to Fu Street with me to take a look.”

Liang Zheng pondered for a moment. He is a medical idiot, he would rather bury his head in medical books or seek for people to save every day. However he was not good at dealing with officials. But the expression of that disciple just now made him suddenly have an ominous premonition. Then he looked at Su Yanjun and Mu Xiyun who had followed him out.

Su Yanjun immediately noticed Master Liang’s intentions, and immediately stepped forward and said, “This disciple of Moyun Mountain, Su Yanjun, agrees. We’ll go and see it with Brother Liang.”

The constable was also straightforward and immediately thanked him and turned around to lead the way. “I don’t know what the matter is. Perhaps Your Honor can let us know a thing or two first?” Su Yanjun asked as they walked towards Fu Street.

“Why so polite? My name is Gu Mingshun, you can just call me Mingshun.” The constable replied modestly then added,  “This morning, old man Wang residing in the west of town went to Cuiping Mountain to cut firewood when he suddenly stumbled upon a corpse. I have seen all kinds of cases in the Yamen, but I suspect that it was not done by a mortal, so I came to trouble the Immortal Master Liang to take a look.”

What kind of corpse needs the assistance of a Brother Liang? Su Yanjun was silent. The group soon came to the Yamen office, Constable Gu entered through the side door without going through the main gate, and took people to the morgue in the backyard. The Yiyun Yamen’s place was small, and the morgue was even cramped, with small windows and extremely poor lighting. A Wutong tree in the courtyard swayed in the wind, depicting eerie shadows on the window papers. The warm and cold wind slid in and swayed the hanging oil lamp.

Inside, there was a stretcher. Laid on it was a human figure covered in white cloth. Under the soft cloth, it could be seen that the person was not tall. A hand was hanging down from the stretcher and on a small wrist was a silver bracelet with a bell, which seemed to be a customary accessory for children, was seen.

Could it be…? Liang stepped forward and lifted the white cloth, and the group lowered their eyes unbearably.

It was a child less than ten years old.

The child’s face was as pale as paper, helplessness and fear solidified on his little face, there were scars on the side of his neck, arms, and thighs, his chest was covered with a skirt, yet it could be noticed that his chest was open and hollowed out. The heart was obviously not there.

What kind of devil can do such a thing!

Liang’s eyes were red, as if hot magma was about to erupt from the crater. He took two steps forward, pulled the child’s wrist with his left hand and placed his right hand just above the hollowed out chest, releasing his spiritual energy. After a while, he retrieved his hands, yet his brows furrowed fiercely.

After a while, Su Yanjun slowly stepped forward, pressed a hand on his shoulder, and took him out of the morgue. They sat on the stone chairs in the yard. Su Yanjun raised his head and asked Gu Mingshun who followed them out. “Brother Gu, tell me first, what do you think?”

Gu Mingshun was also a direct man, he stepped forward and answered, “The body was found in the morning. After the examination, we deduced that the child should have been dead for two days already. Judging from the scars, the heart should have been directly pulled out from the chest,” Gu Mingshun paused for a while and continued, “The sternum is hard and normal people would use some kind of tools, but this child only has knife cuts on his wrists and no trace of sharp segmentation tools was used on the chest.” 

“Both the Yamen high officials and Yamen runners felt that it was not done by an ordinary person, so they sent me to inform the Immortal Master. “

Su Yanjun nodded and asked again. “Have you asked around town, which one has recently lost a child?”

“A notice has been posted, and Yamen runners have also spread out and went to various streets to inquire.”

At this time, Liang Zheng had recovered. Even though he had seen some tragic state of various diseases and even witnessed clashing of swords, death and blood on the battlefield, yet when he saw the ten year old child suffer such a great disaster, this kind-hearted doctor still felt like his heart was cut by a knife into a thousand pieces. This only fueled his fire of anger unto the perpetrator. 

There were successive reports from the errands, and no one in Yiyun Town had lost a child.

“Senior Brother Liang,” Xiyun suddenly said, who had been silent all the time, “The senior martial brother who called you a while back looked anxious and seemed to know something. Why don’t we go and ask him?”